In Conversations^x, Definite articles^x

1. The use of the indefinite article implies that more than one shop are involved. On second thought, I'm trying to envisage a conversation with "it's a little shop of my own"... Perhaps it could be used even if you have only one. People don't always go by the book (= the...

Hi all!I've been giving English conversation lessons to a theology professor for about a year now. He's getting on in the years - a couple years from retirement - and his primary goal has been just to get his spoken English going a little stronger. His mother tongue is French but he's...

"Volcano" is presumably the name or title of that player, so it is indicating that this is a name and not an exploding mountain. You would not put an article before it unless there are more than one players with the name/title (as was indicated further onin the passage above),

Usually when we introduce a common noun into a conversation for the first time we use the indefinite article, then when we refer back to that item/person/etc. we use the definite.There was a man. The man was eating an apple. Although the apple appeared fresh it contained a worm. The worm...

.Hello Mathew, and welcome to English Forums.The 2 pronunciations of 'the' are not grammar rules, but physical effects of the smooth flow of sounds between words-- they are more like laws of physics. Native speakers (lucky us!) do not have to affirm pronunciations-- we just talk without...

Interesting question. I DON'T HAVE ANY absolute answers, but I HAVE SOME comments. I also HAVE NO absolute answer.First, we can say "There isn't any/a", but we cannot say "There is no any/a". "Any/a" can be used with countable nouns, but we can't with...

Hi Teachers, I got a question about the definite article "the." Let's suppose that I bought a pen yesterday and I just met a friend who does not know I did. Me: Hi Paco! How're you doing?Paco: Good!Me: The pen that I bought yesterday is not working! In the above conversation,...

I've heard the word with the indefinite article: "she went off on a tangent." In geometry, a tangent is something that touches, but does not intersect, another figure. In conversation, a tangent is something touching, but not really pertaining to, the subject being discussed. For example, I could...

This is not a matter of "kitchen (or any other noun) must always take the article the", or a matter of "kitchen (or any other noun) must always take the article a". The articles are used in specific situations. Some situations require the indefinite article (a or an); some situations require...

Hi, Let me try a different kind of explanation. The first time you mention something to me, say 'a'. That makes the thing specific/definite in our conversation. So thereafter, you can say 'the' and I'll know the thing you are talking about. A man with a scar on his nose and a parrot sitting on...